The House Carpenter- Clement (SC) 1913 Smith A
[From: South Carolina Ballads by Reed Smith, 1928. Stanzas 11 and 12 are found in Child 76. The Lass of Roch Royal.
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- Mrs. Emma Clement (Spartanburg Co., SC) 1913 Smith A
1. "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met, once more,
I have just returned from my old native home,
And it's all for the sake of you."
2. "I could have married the king's daughter dear,
I'm sure she would have married me,
But I refused the crown of gold,
And it's all for the sake of you."
3. "If you could have married the king's daughter dear,
I'm sure you are to blame,
For I've just married a house-carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man."
4. "If you will forsake your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the cedar-see."
5. "If I do forsake my house carpenter,
And go along with you;
What have you got to support me on
And to keep me from slavery?"
6. "I have seven ships on the wide blue sea,
All sailing for dry land,
One hundred and thirty-six sea jolly men,
And they are all at Your command."
7. They hadn't been gone more than two days,
I'm sure it had not been three,
Till she began to weep and mourn,
And cry most pitifully.
8. "Are you a weeping for my gold?
Or a weeping for my stores?
Or a weeping for your house carpenter,
Whose face you'll see no more?"
9. "I'm neither weeping for your gold,
Nor neither for your stores,
I'm weeping for my dear little babe,
Whose face I'll see no more.
10. "Who will shoe its little feet?
And who will glove its hands?
And who will kiss its rosy little lips,
When I'm so far from land?"
11. "Its father will shoe its little feet,
And also glove its hands,
And he will kiss its rosy little lips,
When you're so far from land."
12. They hadn't been gone more than three days,
I'm sure, it hadn't been four,
Till there sprang a leak into the ship
And it sank for to rise no more.